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Local authorities have the power to question suspects under caution during taped interviews.

If the council does not find in Mrs Lilly’s favour following the interview, she could be handed a fixed-penalty fine for fly-tipping.

Recycling centre: Mrs Lilly received a 'terrible letter' from the council after investigators tore open the bags she left and found letters with her personal details

She is the latest casualty of a zero-tolerance approach by the council that saw a mother prosecuted after she refused to pay a fine when her daughter dropped a piece of sausage roll in Hull city centre. The case was later thrown out by a judge. Mrs Lilly’s MP, Labour’s Karl Turner, said this latest case was ‘complete nonsense’.

‘This legislation was meant to target unlicensed fly-tippers who cause a lot of damage – not people like Mrs Lilly,’ he said. ‘There has been a lot of public money wasted on this investigation already. Common sense should prevail but clearly it isn’t.’

'Completely bonkers': Karl Turner, Mrs Lilly's local MP, who has vowed to help her with her legal battle against the local council

Mr Turner, a barrister, added: ‘I have arranged for a solicitor to be present at her interview and, if it comes to court, I will be defending her myself.

‘I reckon it will cost the council £12,000 to prosecute this case and the most she could possibly get is an absolute discharge, so it’s completely bonkers.’

A spokesman for the TaxPayers’ Alliance said it was ‘astounded’ at the treatment of Mrs Lilly, adding: 'Mrs Lilly was trying to do the right
thing by giving the clothes to charity rather than throwing them away,
so the council’s reaction was completely over the top.

‘Civic leaders in Hull should concentrate on providing the services for which residents pay considerable amounts in council tax, rather than spending scarce
resources pursuing someone like Mrs Lilly.'

Mark Charlton, of the council, said it would pursue the case. ‘The council has received a complaint and an investigation is ongoing. Until it is complete we are unable to comment,’ he said.

Mrs Lilly added that her ordeal had not deterred her from recycling – but from now on she would only be doing it at home.